A reflection on programming knowledge as a collection of named patterns and tricks. The author deconstructs their thought process when solving a Zig code design problem, identifying six distinct techniques: raising abstraction levels, avoiding midlayer mistakes, providing shortcuts, canonical naming conventions, options-based configuration, and positional dependency injection. Each technique is traced to its origin—from Django documentation to kernel development to the Zig compiler itself. The key insight is that expertise involves recognizing, naming, and recalling these patterns across domains through voracious reading and active pattern recognition.
Sort: